Car construction



H. E. ANDERSON CAR CONSTRUCTI ON Filed March 15, 1923 Inverzr [Jar/4 1E 411442115070 Patented .lian.

LSZZAZ HARLEY E. ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS To all whom it INC A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

GAE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed March 155, 1923. Serial No. 625,249,.

may concern:

Be it known that I, HARLEY E. ANDER- soN, a citizen at Chicago,

the United States, residing the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful erence drawings, catlon.

Improvement in Car Gonthe following is a fulfil, re

This invention relates to improvements in car'constructlon.

In the operation of mines,

practice to emp it is the present loy mine cars (which are of relatively small size and capacity) which are coupled together by some simpie link or chain arrangement, but without any provision being made for cushioning the shocks when a train of brought to a stop.

such cars is started up or Such present practice results in unnecessary rapid deterioration of the cars, reduces the possible length of a train of cars tractive eiiort for a locomotive of given and otherwise militates against the etficient operation of the cars. While the desirability of cushioning means has been recognized, use thereof has not been adopted in general on account of the expense of such devices heretofore suggested, in most instances necessitating a re-designing of mine car body.

the comparatively simple The object of my invention is to provide a simple, eflicient and unusually inexpensive arrangement, which is particularly adapted for application of the type most arrangement is under bufi to new or old mine cars commonly employed, which effective to cushion shocks draft and buff, and wherein provision is made for coupling the cars in the usual simple manner.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of portions of two mlne cars,

coupled 1n the usual manner and showing my improvements in connectlon therewith. Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional v1ew corresponding substantially to 22 of Figure the broken section lines 1. Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2. And Figure 4 is a Vertical longitudinal sectional view corresponding to the line 4-4 of Figure 2. Tn said drawing, each mine car is 5 designated generally by the reference character A, the same being mounted on suitable wheels and each having a heavy thick flooring 10, end wall 11, corner angles 12 and suitable stakes and braces 13. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the end portions of the heavy flooring 10 may be considered as constituting what is commonly termed in this art as end sills. Tn the case of mine cars, the end portion of the heavy flooring is recessed as indicated at 14, in the carrying out of my invention, in order to accommodate the simple cushioning mechanism. I

In carrying out my invention, I employ a plate 15 having a top horizontal arm extending through the end wall 11 and secured at its inner end to the flooring 10. Said top arm of the member 15 is formed so as to provide two laterally spaced loops 16-16 which extend outwardly beyond the end of the car and are then bent vertically downward as indicated at 16 and finally bent horizontally inwardly ,beneath the flooring of the car and secured thereto, as indicated at 16*. In this manner, two loops are provided extending outwardly from the end of the car and within which is received the improved shock absorbing mechanism about to be described.

The shock absorbing mechanism, as shown, preferably comprises two members B and G and a pair of springs D-D interposed therebetween.

The member B is in the form of a fiat bar extending horizontally and provided at each end with integral cup-shaped pockets 17l7, at the outer sides of the said loops. Centrally, the member B is formed with an extension 18 perforated to accommodate a coupling pin 19 by which the end U-shaped link of the chain coupling is detachably connected to the mechanism. Normally, the member l3 bears against the end of the flooring or end sill of the car, as shown best shown in Figure 2, to engage the outer ends of the loops and thereby limit the outward movement of the member C with respect to the car. At each side,-the two webs are integrally united to form cylindrical casings 2222, which are telesooped over the cup-shaped pockets 17 of the draft member B. The outer ends of the casings 22 are closed by integral walls 23, to take the bufiing shocks when the two cars come together. On their tops, the two casings 22 may be made flat and roughened, as indicated at 24, to thereby provide suitable treads for the operators in passing between two adjacent cars.

The two springs D, one at each side of the mechanism, are preferably coiled springs compressible in a direction parallel to the center line of the car, said coil springs being seated in the casings 22 and cup-shaped pockets 17, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

Ample clearance is left between the two members B and C to allow relative approach and permit the springs D coming into play. In a draft action, it is evident that the draft members B will be pulled outwardly from the respective car ends, the outer ends of the springs B being held by the member C, which, in turn, is held by the loops. In a bufling action, both members C are forced inwardly toward the respective car ends, the inner ends of the springs D, in this instance, being held by the draft members B which are up against the end sills or end portions of the car flooring.

From the preceding description, considered in connection with the drawing, it will be seen that the arrangement which I have provided, consists of very few parts, all of simple and economical construction, and the entire arrangement is such that it may be readily applied to either new cars or old cars in service, without any appreciable modification of the usual mine car now employed.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred maner of carrying out my invention, but the same 18 merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a mine car, the combination with a loop-shaped means secured to the end of the car and roject'ing outwardly there from; of a dra 't member extending through said loop means and provided with spring pockets at each end; a buifing member movable relatively to said draft member and extending through said loop means and provided also with spring pockets at each end alined with the first named sprin pockets, said bufling member being limite against outward movement from the car end by said loop means; and springs seated at their ends in said spring pockets.

2. In a mine car, the combination with a plate secured to the-end of the car, said plate having laterally spaced loops extended outwardl from the end of the car; of a draft mem er extending transversely through said loops, said draft member being provided at each end thereof with a spring seat and centrally thereof with an outward extension for detachably receiving a coupling; a bufling member, extending laterally through said loops and provided at each end thereof with spring seats alined with the first named spring seats, said buffing member having top and bottom horizontally extending webs straddling the draft member; and springs seated at their ends in said alined sets of spring seats.

3. In a mine car, the combination with a plate secured to the end of the car and extended outwardly from the end of the car; of a draft member supported on the outwardly projecting portion of said plate, said draft member being provided at each end thereof with a spring seat and centrally thereof with an outwardly extending portion for detachably receiving a coupling; a buffing member supported on said plate and provided with spring seats alined with said first-named spring seats, said bufling member being movable relatively of said draft member and having top and bottom, horizontally extending webs straddling the draft member; and springs seated at their ends in said alined sets of spring seats.

4. In a mine car, the vcombination with a plate secured to the end of the car and extended outwardly from said end; of a draft member extending transversely, and supported on the outwardly extending portion of said plate, said draft member being provided at each end with a spring seat and centrally thereof with an outward extension for detachably receiving a coupling; a bufiing member extending laterally of said plate and supported thereby and provided at each end thereof with spring seats alined with said first-named s ring seats, said bufiing member being movable relatively of the draft member; and springs seated at their ends in said alined sets of spring seats.

5. In a mine car, the combination with a loop attached to an end of the car and projecting outwardly therefrom of a draft member and a bufiing member passing through said loop; and means between said members for yieldably resisting operative movement 5 of said members, said loop being arranged rearwardly of the striking surface of said buffing member so as to be free from any blow directed against said striking surface.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I day of March, 1923.

HARLEY E. ANDERSON.

Witnesses: I

FRANCES SAVAGE, HARRIETTE M. DEAMER. 

